Rainwater Collection: An Easy Way to Overcome the Chronic and Growing Shortage of Water of the Albanian Rural Family

Hysen Cobani
Bulevardi Deshmoret e Kombit P. 62/2, Sh.I, Ap.I Tirana, Albania Phone & Fax: 3554232399

Abstract Albania has abundant rainfall (722-2747 mm/year), but mostly concentrated in the rainy season (October - April). During the dry summers, water levels are often at a critical low. During the past 50 years, rainwater catchment has been used to irrigate 50 - 60 % of the land, but little has been done to supply clean, safe drinking water for the people. Among the 2800 villages only 450 (16%) have aqueducts. During the summer only 5-10 liters of water per capita /day are available in some villages. Since the current government seems to be unable to supply the rural population with access to safe drinking water, the NGO Rain & Rural Family was founded in 1997 to study the possibilities of promoting roof rainwater catchment. The study states that each house with a roof of 50-100 m2 could collect enough water to provide 6 people with an average water supply of 60- 130 liters for 90 days. The cost to build a reinforced concrete cistern would come to 590.000 leke (about US$ 3,000). Rain and Rural Family aims to: 1) popularize the concept of rainwater harvesting, 2) inform the public about the tradition of rainwater collecting and 3) to establish rainwater collection as a national priority. Introduction Water, this basic living element of our planet, is to be found in abundance in Albania. Rainfalls constitute the main source, varying from 722 to 2747 mm/rainfall per year. By calculating an average of 1200 mm rainfall on a territory of 28.000km2, Albania could theoretically collect 33.6 billion m3 of rainwater. This water could then be used for farming. The 700.000 ha of farmland need 7 billion m3 of water. The population of 3.5 million would need about 252 million m3 of water per year for personal use. These two basic items of water usage consume 2,5 % of the annual reserve, even if one applies maximal standards of 10.000m3/ha of water per capita. It is understood that in this balance sheet rainfall represents one of the main reserves and could be an asset for the country providing energy resources and food for the population. Not too many countries have the same rainwater collecting potential. The rainfalls in Albania are seasonal. More than 80 to 85 % fall between October and April. During the summer months (June-August, sometimes September) rainfall does not exceed 4-10% of the annual volume. The temperatures during this period are between 30-40 degree C. Thus Albania is the European country with the driest summer and people, plans and animals suffer from a lack of water. (see index 1-5)

Over the last 50 years many useful artificial reservoirs for rainwater collection have been built. The water from these reservoirs is mostly used for the irrigation of land. In regards to meeting peoples needs nothing has been done, and people have been left with empty political promises. During the summer months, about 60% of the arable land is under irrigation, while all the large urban centers, including the capital, as well as most of the rural areas (60% of the population lives in the countryside), are suffering from the seasonal summer draught. Of the 2800 villages in the country, only 450 (16%) have aqueducts, most of which are not capable of supplying 10-30 liters of water per capita/day. Hence we are facing a paradox, we have and do not have water. This ranks us indisputably, as the continent's most backward country. The situation has turned into a daily torture. Every morning people in the cities have to carry water to the upper floors of their buildings. In the countryside, peasants carry water themselves or use animals, walking several hundred meters, often even kilometers, to transport water from the springs to their homes. They carry between 5 to 20 liters of water per capita/day. During the summer the lack of abundant water, does not allow for maintaining high hygienic standards. This results in -infectious diseases and parasite insects -poor health of the population, particularly of women and children. -an unpleasant environment, taking into consideration that rural families keep their domestic animals near them. The stink, from the manure and lack of water help to increase the number of black flies and other insects, which are not only annoying, but also dangerous as bearers of infections. -The decrease of agricultural and livestock products. There are fewer vegetables as well as less milk. To certain degree the past political regime can be blamed for the current situation, but there is also no tradition for collecting rainwater or to develop any strategies in this respect. Given Albania's rocky terrain and the make up of its villages-- houses are usually built at a certain distance from each other the cost of an aqueduct is very high. It costs from US$ 5,000-10,000 per house (taking into account water intake, channels, pipes, hydraulic equipment, energy for construction and maintenance). This would require a considerable government contribution, but given the political and financial situation of Albania, it would take another four to five decades to build such a system. At some point in the future the government will have to build such complex water supply systems. Nevertheless following the 8th IRCSC, we founded the Shi & Fa Association (Rain and Family Association), a registered NGO with its seat in Tirana. Shi & Fa's goal is to provide a faster, cheaper solution for the needs of water, particularly for the rural family. At Shi & Fa's request a group of specialist studied the rainfall ratio and the roof surfaces in rural areas, figuring out the volume of water that can be collected to cover the needs during the dry and hot summer months. They arrived at the following conclusion: Every rural family with 6-7 members and a roof of 100m2 (a roof surface common in Albania) might collect 30-70 m3 rainwater. Given an average of 2000 mm annual rainfall, they can easily collect enough water to take them through the summer. The cost pro cistern will be between US$1,000-1,500 (see page Nr. 1 and Nr. 2).

If the peasant family supplies some of the materials or if they use plastic tanks instead of iron-concrete ones, the cost might be reduced to US $500- 750. There exists a vast possibility of choices depending on the purpose and economic power of each rural family. Theoretically they could collect 90 100m3 of water, taking into consideration that they have 100m2 of roof surface. If the roof surface increases, the volume of water collected increases too. This implies that during the rainy season (October- April) every house in the countryside can collect a volume of water ensuring no less than 60-130 liters of water/person/day for the dry season of 90 days. At the beginning we thought that only 20-30% of the farmers might be willing to make such an investment on their own. With some aid from the state or a donor organization the percentage might increase to 50%. Within 1 to 2 months, the time needed to build a reservoir, a century-old problem could be solved. But the project's most important aspect is not its cost, but to allow individuals that they can do something to change their situation. It will allow each of us to come up with a strategy and one that's within out means. It is high time for us to realize that the rainwater from our roofs without any costs for energy, without any need for pumps, pipes and hydraulic parts has been forgotten. Albania used to have a tradition called Gjirokastra for collecting rainwater. We should study it and spread its knowledge throughout the country as an appropriate regional method. The Shi & Fa Association has as its main goal to remind people that rainwater is a natural product like wheat, fruits, etc., which should be collected and used according to need. In order to achieve this goal, it is striving to build 5 to 10 iron concrete reservoirs in various parts of the country and to launch within the next 2 or 3 years a national movement. The members of the Shi & Fa Association also keep the poet Noli's lines in mind: "Under the light unnoticed, close to the sea unwashed." These lines should not hold true in the future, it's better if they pertain to Albanias past.

450 400 350 300 250 200 234

Number 1 - Saranda - South Albania (Seaside) 1500 mm/y

254 164 164 90 93 60 31 13 J 20 A S O N D 250

mm

150 100 50 0 J F

134

Month

450 400 350 300 250 200

Number 2 - Durres - Middle Albania (Seaside), 983 mm/y

mm

164 112 131 98 86 60 57 35

150 100 50 0

150

28 J

12 J

30 A

Month

450 400 350 300 250 200 292

Number 3 - Shkoder - North Albania (Alps), 2747 mm/y 324

208 188 149 99 70 63 118

436 356

444

mm

150 100 50 0 J F M A

Month